After all, who doesn’t like to try a more holistic approach to prevent dental and sinus ailments these days?! However, the idea behind Oil Pulling is rather confusing, though very intriguing. Could it really be the secret to a beautiful smile, clearer skin and overall better health?
Oil Pulling In A Nutshell
Oil Pulling definitely has an exciting and almost mystical vibe around it. Those who practice it regularly swear by the benefits of this age-old technique, giving it all the credit for their excellent oral health, flawless skin, regular sleep pattern, and even call it an effective pain relief.
“Here is the authentic definition of oil pulling: a traditional indian folk remedy where you swish around high quality, unrefined oil in your mouth to remove toxins, parasites and bacteria that could be thriving in your mouth and your lymph system. The process also loosens up the sinuses and relives congestion that could be a result of mucus build-up in the nasal, throat and thoracic cavity.“
Top 6 Benefits Of Oil Pulling
So, while the oil benefits the areas it comes directly in contact with, it also indirectly affects your overall health by killing all germs that could gain access to your body through the lymph system.
Promotes Oral Health
Oil Pulling can strengthen your jaw, gums and teeth. It also prevents bad breath and fights against oral health problems like gingivitis and tooth cavities. Additionally, it also helps whiten the teeth because unrefined natural oils possess anti-viral and antibiotic properties that can brightened up yellowed teeth. Oil Pulling reduces plaque build-up in the mouth and that directly results in a beautiful smile and fresher oral breath.
Cure Respiratory Ailments
Oil Pulling can have an astounding effect on those who suffer from bronchitis, asthma and chronic congestion. Since it removes virus and bacteria that cause diseases and also clears up congestion by loosening mucus build-up and the sinuses, it can prevent the inflammatory response our body has to allergens.
Keeps And Other Skin Ailments At Bay
Oil Pulling has a detoxifying effect on our bodies and that helps to reduce skin bacterial and fungal infections. It not only cures acne over a period of time, it also reduces the appearance of skin blemishes and can quickly treat skin rashes, eczema and psoriasis. By removing these sickness inducing toxins from our body, it ensures your skin glows with good health that comes from within.
Brings Relief From Migraines And Headaches
Toxin buildup can greatly contribute to headaches and migraines. Oil Pulling has a stress-relieving effect on the body. How? Tension headaches and migraines might be caused be widening and constricting blood vessels, but toxins retained in your blood stream can work like ‘irritants’ for your nervous system and hence trigger a bad headache. Natural oil pulls all these toxins out of your body, hence eliminating triggers that cause migraines and stress headaches.
Offer Full Body Detox
Germs and toxins might gain access to our body through the food we eat or the air we breathe, but they aren’t limited to the nasal and oral cavities alone. Bacteria, virus and fungus spores produce a variety of toxins as a by-product, which can then leak in to our blood stream as well as lymph system and compromise the immune system. These toxins can cause diseases, inflammation and also become external stress factors for the body. Oil Pulling fights against these foreign invaders at the site of entry and hence allows the body to restore its normal functioning through an efficient detox process.
Balances Hormones
Oil Pulling can correct hormonal imbalances in the body because it strengthens the immune system. As a result, it helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and reduces the frustrating symptoms of PMS.
Give It A Try
If you are intrigued by all the above mentioned health benefits of Oil Pulling and want to try it out, here are a few things that you should know first.
“Oil pulling is done using 3 popular unrefined, natural oils. These are – coconut oil, olive oil and sesame oil. Out of the three, coconut oil is usually the most tolerable because of its sweet taste, but sesame oil is rumored to be the most effective of them all.“
The Process Is Very Simple
Choose any oil you want to work with. Begin with a teaspoon first, and as you get used to the process, build up the quantity to at least a tablespoon of oil. I personally prefer to use Sesame Oil because I like the pungent taste compared to the sweet flavor of coconut oil. I have tried both and somehow my mouth feels way more cleansed after pulling with sesame oil. I am a big fan of both coconut and sesame oil and swear by the many benefits it offers. I believe that these are the only two wellness products you will need.
Swish and swash the oil around in your mouth. The aim is to get the oil to reach all the little nooks and corners inside your mouth. Continue rinsing the insides of your mouth with the oil for about 20 minutes. This isn’t as easy as it may sound, so start with 5 minutes and build it up to 20 minutes.
Spit out the oil. You can then rinse out your mouth with warm water and brush your teeth afterwards to remove the taste of oil from your mouth.
Now let’s not fool ourselves. Swishing around raw oil in your mouth like a mouthwash cannot be a pleasant experience. Yes, it does taste yucky and you might even feel discouraged to ever repeat the process after you try Oil Pulling the first time. But, it does get easier as you do it day after day.